Getting defensive

Tar Heels turn up the pressure on Dayton, roll to an easy victory

Published: Monday, January 1, 2007 at 2:36 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 1, 2007 at 7:44 a.m.

Chapel Hill | North Carolina's 81-51 victory over Dayton at the Smith Center on Sunday had a little bit of everything.

There were Tar Heel runs, including a dunk-fest in one stretch that brought the near-capacity New Year's Eve crowd to its feet - but they were often careless with the ball. Carolina suffered through an 11-possession stretch with just one field goal, yet managed to make 53.4 percent of their field goal attempts.

For the most part, though, it was second-ranked North Carolina's defense that to credit for its 12th victory in 13 games.

"I think they're working really hard in practice and starting to take more pride in what they're doing defensively," said UNC coach Roy Williams. "Each and every day they are understanding more what the defensive end of the floor can mean for them."

Dayton shot just 30.5 percent and turned the ball over 21 times -

seven more than its average entering the contest. The aggressive Tar Heels were also credited with 10 steals, eight blocked shots and drew five charging fouls.

"Recognition: We call it 'Seeing the big picture' of what they're trying to do," said Williams, whose team has held its last five opponents under 37 percent shooting. "Two guys are coming down toward you they're not coming down to say what kind of day you're having, they're coming to screen you, those kind of things.

"I think seeing the big picture on defense has been a drastic improvement for us."

Dayton (10-3) missed plenty of open shots, but most were available because Carolina successfully forced it into taking quick shots. When the Flyers slowed the pace, the patient Heels still executed .

"I'd say for the first two weeks it was mainly defense," Danny Green (eight rebounds, seven assists) said about how much time UNC has spent working on defense during its winter break.

"The last week or so it hasn't been just defense, it's been a little bit of both. But we focus on defense every day."

Brian Roberts and Marcus Johnson led Dayton with 14 points each.

Aside from UNC's 21 turnovers, it got plenty of quality shot opportunities against a club that has beaten Louisville and Creighton.

Wayne Ellington (15 points) hit from the perimeter, had a nifty assist to Tyler Hansbrough for a jam on a fast break, converted a few open-court layups and even bloodied his nose in a scrum for a loose ball with UNC ahead by 29 and 4:27 remaining.

Brandan Wright (16 points, seven rebounds) and Hansbrough (17 points) appear more comfortable playing off of each other in the paint, allowing each more face-up opportunities.

"I think the last couple of games we've really been getting comfortable with each other: how each other posts up; where the double-team is coming from - it's all coming together," Wright said.

That goes for Carolina's defense, as well.

"Defense was our bread and butter last year," Hansbrough said. "It should be this year, too."

<p>Chapel Hill | North Carolina's 81-51 victory over Dayton at the Smith Center on Sunday had a little bit of everything.</p><p>There were Tar Heel runs, including a dunk-fest in one stretch that brought the near-capacity New Year's Eve crowd to its feet - but they were often careless with the ball. Carolina suffered through an 11-possession stretch with just one field goal, yet managed to make 53.4 percent of their field goal attempts.</p><p>For the most part, though, it was second-ranked North Carolina's defense that to credit for its 12th victory in 13 games.</p><p>"I think they're working really hard in practice and starting to take more pride in what they're doing defensively," said UNC coach Roy Williams. "Each and every day they are understanding more what the defensive end of the floor can mean for them."</p><p>Dayton shot just 30.5 percent and turned the ball over 21 times -</p><p>seven more than its average entering the contest. The aggressive Tar Heels were also credited with 10 steals, eight blocked shots and drew five charging fouls.</p><p>"Recognition: We call it 'Seeing the big picture' of what they're trying to do," said Williams, whose team has held its last five opponents under 37 percent shooting. "Two guys are coming down toward you they're not coming down to say what kind of day you're having, they're coming to screen you, those kind of things.</p><p>"I think seeing the big picture on defense has been a drastic improvement for us."</p><p>Dayton (10-3) missed plenty of open shots, but most were available because Carolina successfully forced it into taking quick shots. When the Flyers slowed the pace, the patient Heels still executed .</p><p>"I'd say for the first two weeks it was mainly defense," Danny Green (eight rebounds, seven assists) said about how much time UNC has spent working on defense during its winter break.</p><p>"The last week or so it hasn't been just defense, it's been a little bit of both. But we focus on defense every day."</p><p>Brian Roberts and Marcus Johnson led Dayton with 14 points each.</p><p>Aside from UNC's 21 turnovers, it got plenty of quality shot opportunities against a club that has beaten Louisville and Creighton.</p><p>Wayne Ellington (15 points) hit from the perimeter, had a nifty assist to Tyler Hansbrough for a jam on a fast break, converted a few open-court layups and even bloodied his nose in a scrum for a loose ball with UNC ahead by 29 and 4:27 remaining.</p><p>Brandan Wright (16 points, seven rebounds) and Hansbrough (17 points) appear more comfortable playing off of each other in the paint, allowing each more face-up opportunities.</p><p>"I think the last couple of games we've really been getting comfortable with each other: how each other posts up; where the double-team is coming from - it's all coming together," Wright said.</p><p>That goes for Carolina's defense, as well.</p><p>"Defense was our bread and butter last year," Hansbrough said. "It should be this year, too."</p><p>Andrew Jones:</p><p>andrew.jones@starnewsonline.com</p><p>No. 2 NORTH CAROLINA 81, DAYTON 51</p><p><B>DAYTON (10-3): </B>Scott 3-6 2-2 11, Little 0-2 0-0 0, Huelsman 2-5 0-0 4, Johnson 6-13 1-2 14, Roberts 5-18 2-3 14, Sandoval 0-4 2-2 2, Plummer 2-7 2-4 6, Binnie 0-3 0-0 0, Warren 0-1 0-1 0, Stafford 0-0 0-0 0, Adedeji 0-0 0-0 0, Hogan 0-0 0-0 0. <B>Totals 18-59 9-14 51.</B></p><p><B>NORTH CAROLINA (12-1):</B> Terry 2-7 1-2 6, Wright 8-9 0-0 16, Hansbrough 7-11 3-5 17, Ellington 6-11 0-0 15, Lawson 2-4 1-3 5, Green 1-5 2-2 5, Thompson 0-2 2-2 2, Stepheson 2-4 1-2 5, Ginyard 1-1 0-0 2, Miller 1-2 2-2 5, Burke 1-1 0-0 3, Wood 0-1 0-0 0, Copeland 0-0 0-0 0.<B> Totals 31-58 12-18 81.</B></p><p><B>Halftime-</B>North Carolina 34-18. <B>3-Point Goals-</B>Dayton 6-18 (Scott 3-6, Roberts 2-8, Johnson 1-2, Sandoval 0-1, Binnie 0-1), North Carolina 7-17 (Ellington 3-5, Miller 1-1, Burke 1-1, Green 1-3, Terry 1-4, Hansbrough 0-1, Lawson 0-1, Wood 0-1). <B>Fouled Out-</B>Little, Scott. <B>Rebounds-</B>Dayton 31 (Plummer 5), North Carolina 44 (Green 8). <B>Assists-</B>Dayton 14 (Warren 4), North Carolina 23 (Green, Lawson 7). <B>Total Fouls-</B>Dayton 21, North Carolina 17. <B>A-</B>19,967.</p>